There is great confusion today between remorse and repentance. Many have shown remorse because of the consequences of their sins. Pharoah showed remorse but did not repent. Esau was sorrowful over losing the birthright and sought to get it back, but was without repentance. Judas regretted betraying our Lord and went and hanged himself, without repentance.
What is repentance? It is a change of heart and mind toward God, which is none other than true God given faith in the Lord Jesus Christ (Acts 20:28). Whether a person has committed any outward, public sin or not, without the knowledge of the Lord Jesus, as revealed by the Spirit of God, in the Word of God, a person is still unrepentant.
Who are the repentant in this world? They have been made to see themselves as sinners and worthy of God's eternal condemnation, by the Spirit of God. It is not a result of men or circumstances forcing one to admit a sin, it is the Spirit produced acknowledgment that should God send me to hell, He would be just. It as acknowledging that one would rather God be just in condemning me for my sin, than to alter His justice in any way in order to save me.
The repentant have been made to see the wisdom of God in justifying sinners through the work of the Lord Jesus Christ alone. Since there is no dichotomy between repentance and faith in Scripture, only those are repentant who know, love and believe on the Lord Jesus Christ for forgiveness of sins and righteous standing before God.
If one is looking to his own tears and efforts to work in or out a repentance before God, he is only adding to his condemnation. Such "repentance" is an offense to the tears and work of the Savior. If one believes that repentance is mere inward soul searching and remorse, he is greatly deceived. To truly look within oneself, or to the law, can only bring further condemnation. There is nothing good within, and there is no mercy with the Law of God. It requires absolute perfection and condemns anything less. Read Galatians 2:213:13.
Where is the hope? It is in God sending His only beloved Son to work out that perfect obedience by His life, and pay the penalty of the Law by His death, so that God might be just in justifying every sinner that He so pleases according to His eternal will and grace in Christ. Read Romans 8:3,4.
Is this so hard to understand? It is the only hope for sinners in Scripture. Looking anywhere else for the answer is the greatest form of treason, lying under oath, and obstruction of justice this world could ever know. Continued rebellion will only bring eternal condemnation and separation from God Almighty. Romans 10:1-4.